1. Field
Embodiments relate to a rechargeable battery.
2. Description of the Related Art
A rechargeable battery differs from a primary battery in that it may be repeatedly charged and discharged, while a primary battery makes only the irreversible conversion of chemical to electrical energy. A low-capacity rechargeable battery may be used as a power supply for small electronic devices, e.g., cellular phones, notebook computers, and camcorders, while a high-capacity rechargeable battery may be used as a power supply for driving motors in hybrid vehicles and the like.
A high-power rechargeable battery using a non-aqueous electrolyte with high energy density has recently been developed. For example, the high-power rechargeable battery may be constructed as a high-capacity rechargeable battery having a plurality of rechargeable cells coupled to each other in series to be used as a power supply for driving motors in electric vehicles requiring large capacity.
Further, a large capacity battery module may be formed by a plurality of rechargeable batteries coupled in series, and the rechargeable batteries may have a cylindrical or prismatic shape.
The rechargeable battery may have a configuration in which a terminal connected to an electrode assembly (having a positive electrode and a negative electrode with a separator provided therebetween) protrudes outwardly.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.